1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle door latch apparatus having a childproof lock mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle door latch apparatus, Japanese Patent No. 3875472 discloses a vehicle door latch apparatus having a childproof lock mechanism.
In a configuration of the childproof lock mechanism of the vehicle door latch apparatus having the childproof lock mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3875472, an elongate hole provided in a child lever having an operating portion, which passes through a panel hole provided in a door panel, is fitted slidably and rotatably on a rotating shaft that pivotally supports an inside lever that is rotatable based on a door opening operation of an inside handle provided on an inner side of a door. Accordingly, the child lever is displaced in a straight-line fashion between an unlocking position where the door opening operation of the inside handle can be transmitted to an opening member and a locking position where the door opening operation cannot be transmitted to the opening member.
However, in the vehicle door latch apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3875472, even when the child lever is in the locking position, the child lever rotates in the opening direction together with the inside lever based on the door opening operation of the inside handle. This is not preferable in obtaining a smooth idle operation (an operation which disables the transmission of rotation of the inside lever in the opening direction to the opening member) and an ensured child lock state in the child lock state in which the child lever is in the locking position. Namely, it is preferable to involve as few operating portions operating in association with the opening operation of the inside handle as possible in obtaining the smooth idle operation and the ensured child lock state.